Hiking in Tiadaghton State Forest
Tiadaghton State Forest offers more than 600 miles of trails open for year-round hiking. Trails vary in difficulty from steep, rugged ascents, to gently rolling trails on plateaus, to the nearly flat grade of the Pine Creek Rail Trail.
Hikers should be prepared for the trails they intend to hike and plan accordingly.
All Tiadaghton hiking trails are classified as
State Forest Hiking Trails or local district trails. Local district trails are further classified as shared-use trails (blazed red or unblazed) or specific-use trails.
Specific-use trails may include, but are not limited to, local hiking trails (blazed yellow) and cross-country trails (blazed blue).
State Forest Hiking Trails
Black Forest Trail
The
Black Forest Trail (PDF) is a 42-mile hiking trail utilizing old railroad grades, logging trails, and foot trails to traverse some of the most spectacular terrain in Pennsylvania. Portions of this trail follow foot paths originally constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
Golden Eagle Trail
The
Golden Eagle Trail (PDF) is a 9.2-mile loop constructed by DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry and the Waterdale Youth Group. Camping is prohibited on the Golden Eagle Trail.
Mid State Trail
Approximately 56 miles of the 327-mile Mid State Trail pass through the state forest.
Trail maps are available at the district office for the Black Forest and Golden Eagle trails. Maps for the Mid State Trail are available from the
Mid State Trail Association.
Local District Trails
Popular local district trails for hiking include the Tiadaghton Trail, the Bob Webber Trail, parts of the Central Mountains Shared-Use Trail, and several cross-country ski trails.
Tiadaghton Trail
The
Tiadaghton Trail (PDF), established by the Boy Scouts of Camp Kline, spans from Bonnell Flats to Boone Road and can connect to the Mid State Trail to form a 23-mile backpacking loop.
Additional side trails connecting to the Tiadaghton Trail at Bonnell Flats and Waterville are available for shorter hikes.
Eiger-Log Slide Loop Middle Hill-Wolf Path Trail
The
Eiger-Log Slide Loop Middle Hill-Wolf Path (PDF) trail network originates at the Resource Management Center and also connects to the Tiadaghton Trail.
Bob Webber Trail
The
Bob Webber Trail (PDF) is a 1.7-mile trail that dead ends at a beautiful vista overlooking the Raven’s Horn of the Golden Eagle Trail and the Pine Creek Valley. This trail is steep, and hikers should be prepared for an arduous ascent.
Central Mountains Shared-Use Trail
The
Central Mountains Shared-Use Trail (PDF) offers many trails exploring the southern portion of the state forest. These trails connect to the Mid State Trail and the Bear Paw Ski Loop, and make great options for those seeking solitude.
Additional Trails
Tiadaghton State Forest also has
nine designated ski trails popular with hikers looking for easier hiking trails or those looking to connect to other major trails.
The
Bear Paw and
Broken Tip trails are located south of U.S. 220, while the others are located north of Waterville along Route 44.
Ski trail distances range from 1.9 miles on the Pine Bog Loop to 13.2 miles on the Sentiero DiShay Trail.
Pine Creek Rail Trail
The Pine Creek Rail Trail, built on the abandoned railroad grade that parallels Pine Creek, extends 63 miles from Jersey Shore in Tiadaghton State Forest north to Wellsboro Junction in Tioga State Forest.
The trail is used primarily for bicycling, cross-country skiing, and walking.
Pine Creek Rail Trail Maps
Pine Creek Rail Trail -- Northern Section (PDF)
Pine Creek Rail Trail -- Southern Section (PDF)
Pine Creek Rail Trail Map and Brochure (PDF)
For more information about hiking trails in Tiadaghton State Forest, please contact the
district office
For more online maps, please go to the
Tiadaghton State Forest Maps.